The Skull
by fangirlzrule
Summary: Fuin turns away from the remains of the kingdom he would have inherited being the king and queen's only son. Fuin had always talked with his best friend about how he wanted to be a just ruler like his father, and have a wife as loving and caring as his mother. Now in his mind he won't be a great king like his father, but he will not show mercy to any orc he crosses paths with.
1. Chapter 1

***THIS CHAPTER IS MORE OF AN INTRODUCTION CHAPTER, WHICH MEANS YOU MIGHT GET LOST IF I MAKE REFRENCES TO HIS PAST. NOTHING TOO EXCITING, ONLY IF YOU COUNT LOSING EVERYTHING AND BEING LONELY EXCITING. THEN GOOD FOR YOU. YOU DO YOU, PEOPLE-PERSON. I HOPE Y'ALL LIKE IT CAUSE IF Y'ALL DON'T, THEN YOU CAN REMOVE IT AND CONTINUE WITH YOUR LIFE.**

 **-YOUR AUTHOR, fangirlzrule. ***

 _*145 years old/Second Age*_

Fuin watched as his home was burned down by the orcs. He was still in the City of Darkness when it was attacked. He remembered waking up to screams and the smell of something burning. Fuin also remembered Dumorn never looking so bright. He walked out of his house to see the forest surrounding the city on fire. He remembers fighting with the rest of the warriors to defend his father's kingdom, his father one of them. Even though he was young, Dumorn starts training when you look around the man's age of 18 summers. His father starting him before that in his when he could hold a sword. He remembered his father turning to him and shouting for him to escape and to go to Imlandris. Too seek refuge with Elrond. Fuin had turned and finished off his opponent before leaving. He had turned in time to see his father slain. He fled like his father told him. Now he stands on the hill overlooking the kingdom watching as the last of the embers die. He heard as everyone was slaughtered. He remembers most of the soldiers and himself going to fight in the War of the Last Alliance. Though no one would be able to distinguish them because of their masks. He remembers the importance of every soldier getting their masks, which specifies their position as a soldier, though his was a skull and everyone treats him like that is the most important thing. The War of the Last Alliance would have been the first battle his father would let him participate in. Fuin assumes that Sauron was trying to get rid of the biggest threat against him, for they were very experienced warriors. They were not quite elves, nor were they the race of men. They were immortal like the elves but lack their qualities, like the pointed ears, so they were called their own race, just never given a name. In Fuin's opinion they can't be called a race anymore, for he was the last. There was never many of them and now there is only one. They were killed off like the Skin Changers.

Fuin turns away from the remains of the kingdom he would have inherited being the king and queen's only son. Fuin had always talked with his best friend about how he wanted to be a just ruler like his father, and have a wife as loving and caring as his mother. Now in his mind he won't be a great king like his father, but he will not show mercy to any orc he crosses paths with. Fuin won't be a king, but he will be like his father, just in a more twisted way.

 _*30 years later (175): Battle of the Gladden Fields- Third Age*_

Fuin fought alongside Elrond, hacking away at Sauron's army of orcs. He was traveling around, for a change of scenery. Fuin grew restless in Imlandris no matter how much Elrond had tried to make sure he was comfortable after the fall of the Dumorn. Fuin had saw a messenger from Rivendell at the inn he was residing in, asking for him. When he received the message that they were marching upon Mt. Doom he was quick to pack and leave. After he arrived at Elrond's camp they were getting ready to march to battle, so Fuin fell in line with Elrond. Fuin turned with Elrond when he heard a scream. He saw Isildur with his father, except his father was dead. Isildur stood and faced Sauron, he hefted his father's shield and stood his ground. As Isildur defeated Sauron and he and Elrond trekked the mountain to destroy the ring, Fuin turned to return home. He felt that this wouldn't be the last time they hear from Sauron. He later learns that Isildur didn't throw the ring into the fires.

 _*2500 years later (2,675 years old): -Third age*_

Fuin was back in Rivendell, though he doesn't know why. Gandalf called him here saying he wants to ask him something. Fuin is glad he doesn't have to wear the mask anymore. He didn't have to be The Skull in Rivendell. His mask that has barely made it through the years since the Fall of Dumorn.

 _'_ _I need to remake it. Just got to find the right supplies. I'll really just need the wood and strap.'_ He thought to himself. He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear Gandalf walk up to him until said man cleared his throat.

"Fuin, pleasure to see you." Gandalf said. "Why don't we sit down so we can talk about why I requested for you to be here." Fuin nodded his assent and they walked to the nearest bench. "I'm putting together a company to take back the home of some certain dwarves. I need someone that can scout and you're the first person I could think of that wouldn't fight with the rest of my companions."

"What mountain is it?" Fuin asked, even though he had an idea of which one it is.

"Erebor. Though I bet you already know that." Gandalf said knowingly.

"Where do we meet?" Fuin asked in a sigh knowing he should already give up.

"The Shire, in Hobbiton, three days time. The house called Bag End. There will be a dwarfish rune on the door." Gandalf said quietly, as though he doesn't want others to hear.

"Wait. Why is it in Hobbiton? Those are peaceful folk." Fuin said but Gandalf was already gone. Fuin walks to his room to gather his stuff for his travels, grumbling about absent wizards. As he packed knowing he'll have to rush, for The Shire is about two days and nights with minimum breaks, which won't happen with him recreating his mask. On his way out of Rivendell he stops and grabs White Cedar wood and black leather strap in the market. He gears up his horse and leaves.

As he makes it to about a third of the way there he stops to take a break and work on the mask. He figured next stop he would be able to finish it, for he did what he could while riding. On the second break, he finished the mask and slept, mainly because he didn't sleep the night before. The third night he made it to Hobbiton and was asking around for Bag End. He mostly got stares, probably because of the mask, and very few pointed him to his destination. As he was searching he ran into a dwarf that was looking for the same place. _'Must be one of the companions Gandalf was talking about. He looks important.'_ Fuin thought to himself. As he was thinking he walked up to the dwarf.

"Looking for Bag End?" Fuin asks the dwarf.

"Yes, I seem to be lost." The dwarf replied.

"Maybe four eyes are better than two. No one seems to be very helpful." Fuin says. The dwarf nodded and Fuin led them in the general direction that he was pointed to before he ran into the dwarf. "May I ask who you are?"

"I am Thorin Oakenshield, you must be the scout that the wizard was talking about." The dwarf, now known by Fuin to be Thorin, stated.

"I've been called Skull, mainly because of my mask. Maybe if you and the rest of the Company gain my trust then you can learn my real identity." Fuin stated not knowing how everyone else will act. The orcs have been searching for him as the prince of Dumorn so he was wanted by them. Many people have tried to give him up to the orcs when they learned his identity. _'Though they can't really do that because they would turn their king in. Thorin is wanted by Azog.'_ Fuin thought as they found the door Gandalf had put the rune on. Fuin gestured Thorin towards the door so he could knock. Thorin nodded at him and knocked three times sharply.

 **WORD COUNT: 1403**


	2. Chapter 2

**For those of you that didn't find the first chapter complete crap good for you. You are awarded with a golden star. May you find the excitement of the Hobbit wonderful. I shalt write this, and many others, even though no one will most likely read it. I wish I own it but, no matter how much I wish it is not mine. It belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The only thing that is mine is Fuin (totally didn't mean for Thorin and his names to end in the same suffix), his race, and Dumorn. Though you should already know this, People-persons. It's in the Fanfiction category. ONWARD TO CHAPTER TWO!**

 **Your Author -fangirlzrule**

"Gandalf." Thorin and Fuin greeted the grey wizard when they saw it was him that opened the door. Fuin saw the head of someone with curly hair behind Gandalf and assumed that this was the owner of the hobbit hole, Bilbo Baggins. "I thought you said that this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice." Thorin continued.

"We wouldn't have found it if it wasn't for that mark on the door." Fuin added, a little irritated.

The hobbit pushed his way in front of Gandalf. "Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago." Bilbo said.

"There is a mark. I put it there myself." Gandalf said. Fuin held some sympathy for Bilbo, for he knows how frustrating dwarves and wizards can be. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield. And Skull, our assassin."

"So, this is the Hobbit." Thorin states. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin questions.

"Pardon me?" Bilbo asks confused.

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin continues rapidly.

"Well, I do have some skill at Conkers, if you must know," Bilbo starts, a little proudly. "but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin states. "Skull, meet Nori, Ori, Dori, Oin, Gloin, Bombur, Bofur, Bifur, Balin, and Dwalin." He stated pointing to each of the dwarves. "These are my nephews Fili and Kili." Thorin continued. Fuin stored the information for later. He is glad he has a great memory, otherwise he would have already forgotten their names.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked Thorin.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin confirmed with a nod.

"All of them! And what did the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin almost looked hopeful to Thorin.

"They will not come. They say this quest is ours and ours alone." Thorin replied grimly. The rest of the dwarves let out disappointed murmurs.

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo inquired.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf said instead of answering. "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single, solitary peak." Gandalf says pulling out a map.

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo read off the map as he brought in a candle for light.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Glion stated.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: 'When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end'." Oin stated.

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo asked a little frightened.

"That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks." Fuin stated. Everyone looked surprised before shrugging it off that he just spoke.

"Extremely fond of precious metals." Bofur stated towards Bilbo adding on to what Fuin said.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo states.

"I'm not afraid. I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!" Ori states. Fuin can't help but grin under his mask at the young dwarf's enthusiasm.

"Good lad, Ori!" Is one of the many excited shouts of the dwarves. Fuin remembers the older dwarves of his time and that they are his favorite because of their rowdy nature and noisiness. It always reminded him of his home. Fuin felt homesick at this time. Dumorn no longer stands, so there is no hope for him to reclaim it like these dwarves can.

"Sit down!" Dori tells his brother.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us..." Balin starts. "But we number just 13. And not 13 of the best... nor brightest," He continues downhearted. The other dwarves started objecting.

"You all have a fire in you that could push you to do things that others wouldn't think of doing." Fuin started disagreeing with Balin. "You may be few in number… but you're fighters, all of you, to the last Dwarf." Fuin continued. "Right now, all of you have more faith in your home than I do. Where I come from is barren and has been abandoned for a long time." Fuin finished off. The Company was moved by his words, Fuin could practically see their moral boost higher. "And you forget, we have a Wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Fuin said a little mischievously, putting the attention on Gandalf.

"Oh, well, now, uh, I I I wouldn't say that, I " Gandalf stuttered out as the dwarves looked towards him.

"How many, then?" Dori asked him, clearly wanting a number.

"Uh, what?" Gandalf asked a little bit cautiously.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!" Dori continued his interrogation. Fuin was sitting in the background enjoying Gandalf's suffering.

"Hm." Gandalf glares at Fuin for putting him into this mess while embarrassedly starts coughing on his pipe smoke. The dwarves jump to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf has killed.

"Shazara! If we have read these signs... do you not think others will have read them too?" Thorin bellows over the noise of the others. "Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!" The dwarves cheer.

"You forget, the Front Gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin states.

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf says while reaching into his robes. He pulled out a key Fuin has saw a few times since it was crafted. Gandalf handed the key to Thorin who looks at it in wonder.

"How come you by this?" Thorin asks.

"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf tells him.

"If there is a key...there must be a door." Fili stated the obvious.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls." Gandalf says pointing to the map with his smoking pipe.

"There's another way in." Kili says excitedly.

"Well, if we can find it, but Dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map...and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth...and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done." Gandalf says.

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori says.

"Hmm. And a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo says not getting the point.

"And are you?" Gloin asks him.

"Am I what?" Bilbo asks.

"He said he's an expert." Oin says excitedly. Several of the dwarves laugh at Oin's hearing.

"Hey. Me? No. No, no, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo says, shaking his head and backing away.

"Well, I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin says with Bilbo nodding in agreement.

"Aye, the Wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin states. Bilbo continues nodding and the dwarves begin arguing. Fuin remembers when Dumorn fell and how he didn't know anything about living outside of Dumorn with limited supplies. Fuin was about to defend the hobbit but couldn't.

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is. Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most, if they choose. And, while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of Dwarf... the scent of a Hobbit is all but unknown to him... which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the 14th member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest. And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know. Including himself. You must trust me on this." Gandalf says growing angry, rising to his full height and casting darkness over the group as starts speaking in his 'powerful' voice. All the dwarves stared in awe. Fuin rolled his eyes, Gandalf seldom uses that voice and when he does it never impresses him.

"Very well. We will do it your way." Thorin states.

"No, no, no." Bilbo declines shaking his head.

"Give him the contract." Thorin says nodding towards Balin. Balin pulls out a long contract and gives it to Bilbo.

"Please." Bilbo pleads. Almost looks like he is ready to get on his knees and beg to Fuin.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin tells Bilbo the overview of the contract. Bilbo steps back a few feet to read it.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo asks hesitantly.

"I cannot guarantee his safety." Thorin says turning towards Gandalf, who is by Fuin.

"Understood." Gandalf nods.

"Nor will I be responsible for his fate." Thorin continues.

"Agreed." Gandalf nods again. Fuin and Gandalf share a look before they return to watching Bilbo.

"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?" Bilbo reads off, asking his question hesitantly again.

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur states, trying to be helpful.

"Huh." Bilbo says looking a little breathless.

"You all right, laddie?" Balin asks.

"Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint." Bilbo says bending over looking nauseous and pained in Fuin's mind.

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur continues giving information.

"Air, I I I need air." Bilbo says beginning to walk towards the door.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bofur continues being unhelpful.

"Hmmm. Nope." Bilbo says before fainting.

"Ah, very helpful, Bofur." Fuin says sarcastically.

"I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment." Bilbo sits on his chair talking to Gandalf. Fuin sits in the corner gathering his thoughts and reminiscing over the day. This is the technique he uses to store stuff in his brain so he can remember later in life.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there." Gandalf says trying to inspire the Hobbit.

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End." Bilbo says being stubborn. He almost reminds Fuin of himself.

"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great great great great uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?" Gandalf says as they look at the picture.

"Yes." Bilbo confirmed.

"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus, the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time." Gandalf says, which Fuin doesn't believe.

"I do believe you made that up." Bilbo says, unknowingly agreeing with Fuin.

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." Gandalf says.

"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo inquires.

"No. And if you do, you will not be the same." Fuin says for Gandalf, knowing the wizard would water it down a bit.

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit." Bilbo says, a little apologetically.

"It appears we have lost our burglar. Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy makers; hardly the stuff of legend." Balin says as he and Thorin see Bilbo leave and Fuin hears their conversation.

"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin says in response.

"Old warriors." Balin agrees.

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that." Thorin says strongly.

"You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor." Balin says seeing if he would back out.

"Then we are with you, laddie. We will see it done." Balin says. The Dwarves gathered in the living room. Thorin began humming, a deep, baritone sound. The dwarves joined in and Thorin began the song.

" _Far over the misty mountains cold._

 _To dungeons deep and caverns old_

 _We must away ere break of day._

 _To find our long-forgotten gold_

 _The pines were roaring on the height._

 _The winds were moaning in the night._

 _The fire was red, it's flaming spread._

 _The trees like torches blazed with light"_

All of the Company settled down in various places around the living room. Fuin watched as all the dwarves fell asleep before he did, even though he doesn't need much. He figured this is one of the safest places to sleep for a while.

 _ **Translations:**_

 _ **Shazara! -Silence!**_

 _ **Du Bekâr! -To arms!**_

 _ **Word Count: 2530**_


	3. Chapter 3

Fuin got up at his usual time. He did the routine he always does before he travels. Mundane things like going to the restroom to take care of the morning things, checking for clothes and weapons, and making sure his mask is secure and saddling up his horse. Even though he mainly likes traveling on foot. By the time he was done Thorin had already awaken and was getting the others up. They both nodded towards each other. Fuin moved to help him and soon all Dwarves and the Wizard were up and ready to go.

As they went they started to bet on if Bilbo will show or not. Fuin ended up betting.

"Wait! Wait!" They heard someone shout. Some dwarves call 'Woah!' and stop their ponies. Bilbo catches up to them and hands Balin the contract. "I signed it!"

Balin takes the contract and inspects it with a pocket glass. He then smiles at Bilbo.

"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." Balin says. The dwarves cheer. Fuin notices Thorin not looking too impressed.

"Give him a pony." Thorin says with a scowl.

"No, no, no, no, that that won't be necessary, thank you, but I I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I I I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once WAGH!" Fili and Kili ended up going up behind Bilbo and putting him on a pony. Fuin lets out a small chuckle as he sees Bilbo riding a pony and looking quite terrified. The pony neighs and tosses its head, making him quite uncomfortable… He also sees how he is holding the reigns and sighs then goes back and helping him.

"Hold the reigns closer towards your waist not over your head. And don't squeeze the pony he's more likely to throw you off like that." Fuin instructs him. Bilbo nods in thanks to him. Fuin goes back to riding in front of Gandalf.

"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." Oin says, wanting his pay for the bet. Nori tosses a sack of money to Oin. Sacks of money begin passing between the dwarves.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Oin says gleefully. Some of the dwarves laugh.

"What's that about?" Bilbo asked as Fuin caught his money pouch.

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't." Gandalf says

"What did you think?" Bilbo asked Gandalf.

"Hmmm." Gandalf says as he catches a sack of money tossed to him and puts it in his bag. "My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second." After a while of riding Bilbo sneezes loudly.

"Ohh. All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction." Bilbo complains as he searches his pockets for a handkerchief. He is unable to find it, and he looks up. "No, no, wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around." Bilbo says suddenly. The entire company comes to a halt, and the dwarves start objecting and asking what the problem is.

"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asks exasperated.

"I forgot my handkerchief." Bilbo says seriously. Bofur tears a strip of cloth from his clothing and tosses it to Bilbo.

"Here! Use this." Bofur says. Bilbo catches the rag and looks at it in disgust. The dwarves laugh and begin to continue their journey.

"Move on." Thorin says over the laughter of the other dwarves.

"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead." Gandalf tells Bilbo as they continue forward.

 _ **TIME SKIP :)**_

Fuin finally gets tired of wearing his mask and takes it off for a bit, knowing he can trust the group that he travels with. The Company is surprised at first but considering they don't know his name they left him alone to set up his stuff as they do theirs. The company has camped for the night near the edge of a cliff. As Gloin sleeps, tiny flying insects get sucked into his mouth every time he inhales, and they are expelled when he exhales. Bilbo watches in disgust, then finally gets up and walks around. Most of the dwarves are asleep; Gandalf, Fili, and Kili are awake. Bilbo walks over to his pony and gives her an apple, after checking to see that no one is looking. Fuin of course catches him even though he himself is half asleep.

"Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. sh, sh" Bilbo tells his pony as he pets her. Bilbo hears a scream in the night air and becomes worried. He runs over to Fili and Kili. "What was that?" He asks timidly.

"Orcs." Kili says as another scream is heard. Thorin and Fuin jerks awake upon hearing the word 'Orcs.'

"Orcs?" Bilbo asks looking around.

"Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili says.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili continues for his brother. Bilbo looks away in fright; Fili and Kili look at each other and begin laughing.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Fuin and Thorin say simultaneously.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili says, intimidated by his uncle and the assassin of their group.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin says as he and Fuin walks off, Thorin to the edge of the cliff and Fuin to a particularly tall rock and they both look out over the valley. Balin walks up to Fili and Kili.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first." Balin started the story.

 _{Flashback:_ _**The Battle of Azanulbizar**_ _Balin's POV}_

 _Thousands of dwarves and orcs fight in front of the gates of Moria. We see Thorin, Thror, Thrain, Balin, and Dwalin fighting fiercely. A massive, pale, orc wipes out many dwarves with his mace, then engages King Thror._ _**"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King."**_ _Azog, having defeated King Thror, holds up his beheaded head as he roars; he then flings the head, which bounces and rolls to Thorin's feet._ _ **"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us."**_ _the orcs have overpowered the dwarves, and the dwarves flee for their lives._ _ **"That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc."**_ _Thorin faces Azog; Azog swings his mace and knocks away first Thorin's shield, then his sword. Thorin falls down an embankment and lands on the ground._ _ **"He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield"**_ _Azog leaps to smash Thorin, but Thorin, grabbing an oaken branch lying on the round, manages to roll away in time. Azog continues wielding his mace against Thorin, who is still on the ground, but Thorin blocks his mace with the oaken branch, which he uses as a shield. As Azog swings one last time, Thorin, grabbing a sword lying nearby, cuts off Azog's left arm, his mace arm, from below the elbow. Azog clutches the stump of his arm as he howls in pain._ _ **"Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken."**_ _Azog is rushed into Moria by other orcs. Thorin rallies the dwarves to battle. They stop fleeing and return to battle, fighting ferociously. The dwarves now seem to have the advantage._ _ **"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived."**_ _The battlefield is covered in the corpses of dwarves and orcs; the surviving dwarves weep with one another over their loss. A younger Balin and Dwalin hug and put their foreheads together as they weep. Balin, still weeping, looks up and sees Thorin framed in the sunlight, holding his oaken branch._ _ **"And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."**_

 _{End of flashback}_

Thorin turns away from the view beyond the cliff and looks towards Fuin the entire Company is awake and standing in awe, staring at Thorin. Thorin walks towards Fuin.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asks no one in particular.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin replies before he turns to Fuin. "Why did you react so strongly to what my nephews said?" Thorin asks a little curiously.

Fuin sighs and looks towards Gandalf. After Gandalf nods he lets out another sigh. "I was born long ago in the First Age to the race of the Dínen." Saying the name given to his race long after its fall. Many of the company let out gasps, knowing where part of this story is going. Fuin gave them a nod before he continued. "The name Fuin was given to me by my mother and father. Being their eldest and only son, they doted on me. Making sure I had everything, never needed anything, and the likes. The only thing was it wasn't only them, as they were the rulers King Ellis and Queen Verena, they had everyone else to help them." Fuin paused remembering his mother and father and everything they did as a family. "As the years went by and I grew the problems also grew. The kind parents that I knew grew distant and spent more time in the office and left me to care for things in the kingdom as the war grew outside the forests of Dumorn. The day of the fall, I was to lead a portion of the troops no battle. The Battle of the Last Alliance to be precise. Sauron was afraid of us because of our skill, so he tried to eliminate his biggest threat. I was just getting ready when I noticed that the forest was brighter than normal." Fuin pauses for a few to gather his thoughts, as he hasn't thought about the fall for a long time. "So, naturally, I go out to investigate. The whole forest was aflame, orcs raiding the kingdom slaughtering everyone in sight. I joined my father and fought against the orcs with the soldiers. Our own resistance wasn't enough. Dumorn was falling and Father wanted to make sure the last of the Dínen had a chance to have a legacy and sent me away. Ever since then I have walked around Arda under the alibis Skull, the name given to me because of my mask, killing orcs and wrongdoers." Fuin completed the story with everyone watching him. All of them were giving him looks of respect. After that, everyone but Fili and Kili went back to sleep.

 _ **Time Skip ^_^**_

The Company rides their ponies through a muddy forest as it rains. They all look cold, wet, and miserable. Besides Fuin, he is used to harsh weather. Fuin isn't paying much attention to the conversations around him, just his surroundings. "Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown." Fuin hears Gandalf say when he tunes back in.

"Is he a great Wizard or is he...more like you?" Bilbo asks curiously. Gandalf looks slightly offended, to which Fuin snorts at and gets a glare for.

"I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world." Gandalf says in response. Not long after he says that the Company arrives at an old, abandoned farmhouse that is in ruins. Fuin can tell these were recent and close to Rivendell, maybe a half an hour run away. He remembers where this farmhouse when the weather got a bit too harsh for him he stayed with the residents.

"We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." Thorin states.

"A farmer and his family used to live here." Fuin says zoned out as Gandalf approached Thorin.

"Oin, Gloin." Thorin says ignoring Fuin's statement.

"Aye?" Gloin hums.

"Get a fire going." Thorin demands.

"Right you are." Gloin says with a nod.

"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley." Gandalf says.

"I have told you already, I will not go near that place." Thorin says. Fuin tunes out the rest of the conversation knowing it is going to become an argument. The next time Fuin looks up is as Gandalf stomps off angrily, leaving the Company. Then he tunes back out only concentrating on eating, that was until Fili and Kili ran into camp out of breath.

 _ **Word Count: 2277**_


	4. Chapter 4

**NEW WORD IS WIXAR. I HAS MADE IT IN RAGE WHEN WIZARD, WHICH WANTS TO BE EVERYTHING ELSE BESIDES ITS CORRECT SPELLING INCLUDING WIZADR, WANTS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE. LIKE WHAT THE HELL WIZARD, STOP TRYING TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.**

Fuin and the others get to where Bilbo is just as Bilbo gets picked up by one of the trolls. The troll that picked Bilbo up looks like he is about to sneeze, and the troll reaches behind him for his handkerchief, but accidentally grabs Bilbo instead, and sneezes all over him and Fuin recoils a bit in disgust. He then realizes that he's not holding any ordinary booger. Fuin zones out the conversation and scouts the area he hears one of the troll howl in pain. As Fuin turns around to see what it is that made the troll howl and sees Kili out there, he rubs his face.

"Drop him!" Fuin hears Kili demand. Fuin slaps his hand against his face and groans quietly.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off." Is what Fuin hears from one of the trolls and looks over to see Bilbo in his hands. Fuin places his hand back on his face and sighs. Fuin sees Thorin look at Bilbo in frustration and then plant his sword in the ground. The others drop their weapons as well. Not long after that the trolls have tied Dwalin, Bofur, Dori, Ori and Nori onto a spit and are roasting them over a fire, the rest are tied up in sacks nearby. Fuin doesn't pay attention after that and meets up with Gandalf.

"Not-not that one, he-he's infected!" Fuin hears Bilbo say as himself and Gandalf climb up to a rock and stand beside it, waiting for a signal. Fuin laughs at them for a minute at their gob smacked faces before the rest of the dwarves chime in about how they don't have parasites and how Bilbo is a fool. Bilbo rolls his eyes as the dwarves mess up his plan. Thorin, understand Bilbo's plan, kicks the others. They then understand and go along with it. All the dwarves begin proclaiming about how they're 'riddled' with parasites. And Fuin laughs more seeing that they are now fighting about how they have bigger parasites than the other.

The smallest troll says something that Fuin doesn't really listen to. Fuin gets his que after hearing the trolls catch on. Gandalf and Fuin have known each other for so long that they know that each of them need to play a role. Fuin's role just so happens to be the distraction this time. So, he hops onto the rock and screams gutturally to catch the troll's attention and it works.

"Wha's this? A man?" The smallest one asks.

"No. It doesn't smell like a man. Must be something new." The mid-sized one states.

"I don't care what it is. Catch it and I'll cook 'em too." The largest one, who is also the one that cooks everything, according to Fuin's observations. Fuin gives another scream before taking a small step like he was going to attack, in the process scaring the two trolls that was ordered to capture him.

"He sounds feral, Tom. Are you sure we have ta catch 'em?" The mid-sized one asked. Fuin hoped that the dwarves caught onto his plan and didn't think him to be poisoned or anything. Fuin took an actual step before Tom could say anything before he starts running towards the trolls and letting the hand wrap around him before he bit the troll. Saying that was his first time doing that would be a lie, seeing as he has done this trick many times before, with and without Gandalf, and word never travels. Most likely because they are dead after he pulls this stunt. The troll throws him, and he hits a tree making him loose his breath and breaking a couple of the bones in his arm. He quickly staggers to his feet, so he isn't caught off guard. The other troll, Tom as Fuin has finally learned told them to keep going. Feral only means it's better, according to Tom at least. The two younger looking ones continue after Fuin, who groans mentally before taking note of where all the dwarves are. After he took that mental note he ran at the trolls screaming, because that seems to throw them off. After they bring their hands down to catch them he runs up the younger one's arm making it scream before the middle-aged troll starts trying to hit Fuin off the younger one, at his request. The older one ended up knocking the younger one down when Fuin ran up to the head. Before the troll hit the ground Fuin had rolled out of the way.

Before he can do anything else as the troll on the ground was getting up, Gandalf appears on top of a large rock above the clearing. "The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf exclaims. The trolls say something about eating Gandalf too before Gandalf strikes the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touches the trolls' skin, they begin turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there are three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. All the dwarves cheer for Gandalf. Of course, the dwarves on the spit, including Dwalin, still look uncomfortable.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin complains to the dwarf above him. The dwarves on the spit have been freed along with those from the sacks. Gandalf walks to one of the troll statues and thumps it with his staff, with a pleased smile on his face.

"You could have done that a bit earlier, could you not?" Fuin asked Gandalf with a voice riddled with pain. His crash landing to the tree hurt him far worse than he had figured, adrenaline dulled most of the pain and now that it is wearing off he can tell what exactly has been hurt.

"Maybe, but it was interesting watch you play that façade after all of that time you were away." Gandalf says. "Now if you would just let me heal- "

"Keep your magic away from me." Fuin practically growled through the pain. Gandalf chuckled, knowing the reason for Fuin not letting anybody, not even the elves, heal him.

"If you don't mind me asking, why don't you let the wizard heal you?" Oin asks as he gets supplies, Gandalf and Thorin watching in the background.

"His magic, or any other's, interferes with the ancient magic of my people. The Elder's magic, as it is called. There are many things that the Elder's magic gives us Dínen our things like luck, beauty, or enhanced strength just to name a few. The most prominent one is the whole soulmate thing. If it is interfered with enough it could mess with the magic in turn completely disturbing the magic that surrounds everything that has or will happen around us. Even though I am the last one of my race the things that they had influenced still has some of their magic, our forest that we lived in for example. The magic has something like a consciousness, that led to my ancestors thinking that is was their 'elders' that was lending them their own magic to enhance things of the people and to give us the perfect 'mate' or, as you dwarves would put it our 'ones'. When that magic is interfered with it makes us act irrationally, forcing us to attack even our friends, in order to prevent damaging the chances of our magic ruining." Fuin explained to Oin with all those around them listening while the dwarf patched him up.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin asked Gandalf after Fuin was patched up.

"To look ahead." Gandalf said while giving Fuin a look. Fuin knows that look. Gandalf is about to do something, and few people are going to like it.

"What brought you back?" Thorin asked.

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece." Gandalf says cryptically.

"No thanks to your burglar." Thorin says spitefully.

"He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Fuin says before Gandalf gets to say anything Thorin looks repentant after Fuin says that. Gandalf and Thorin examine the statues of the trolls while Fuin turns to Oin.

"Thank you, for bandaging me. It was better than what would have happened if Gandalf tried to heal me. When the Elder's magic reacts to his type it makes me act rash." Fuin explains to him. Gandalf turns back to the two with Thorin after hearing that.

"If I remember the last time you were injured enough was when we returned from the trip to the mountains and we had ran into some particularly bad orcs. When we got back to Rivendell, I had tried to heal you after you had refused you reacted badly." Gandalf said with amusement in his eyes.

"I told you that when you reached out with that magic of yours that would have happened. But did you listen? No." Fuin says with some anger.

"Yes, well it took ten elves to catch you and hold you down before I could heal you. That was after you had injured about ten more before that." Gandalf continues.

"Pay attention to your new statues." Fuin growls at Gandalf. The Dínen man has respect for the elderly wizard but the Elder's magic is still bitter about that particular incident.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors." Gandalf says in response.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asks.

"Oh, not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf says. Gandalf, Fuin, and Thorin look meaningfully at each other.

"They could not have moved in daylight." Fuin says.

"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin says. The company finds a large cave nearby, and they enter it. It is full of treasure the trolls have been hoarding.

"Oh, what's that stench?!" Nori complains.

"It's a troll hoard. Be careful what you touch." Gandalf warns. As they enter the cave, many of the dwarves cough and retch at the pungency. Inside, they find piles of gold coins and other treasure in caskets.

"Seems a shame just to leave it lyin' around. Anyone could take it." Bofur says.

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel." Glion agrees. While exploring, Thorin finds two swords covered in cobwebs. Gandalf approaches him.

"These swords were not made by any troll." Thorin says after Gandalf reaches him. Thorin hands one sword to Gandalf and keeps the other one.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf says in response. Gandalf draws the sword in his hand out of its sheath a few inches. "These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age." Gandalf continues.

"I remember that age and watching in young fascination as they forged those." Fuin says from beside Gandalf. Realizing that they are Elven swords, Thorin starts to put his away in disgust. "You could not wish for a finer blade." Fuin tells him warningly. Reluctantly, Thorin holds on to the sword. He draws it out of its sheath a few inches as well. Fuin sees some of the dwarves fill a chest with treasure, then bury it in a hole in the ground. He joins Dwalin in looing on in disgust.

"We're makin' a long-term deposit." Gloin says in response to Fuin and Dwalin's stare.

"Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go. Bofur! Gloin! Nori!" Thorin says. Gandalf exits the cave after Fuin and heads over to where Bilbo is sitting with Fuin following. He hands Bilbo the sword he just found. "Bilbo." Gandalf says to get the young hobbit's attention.

"Hmm?" Bilbo replies, barely paying attention.

"Here. This is about your size." Gandalf says holding the sword out to him.

"I can't take this." Bilbo says shaking his head after he looks at the object that the wizard presented him.

"The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby." Gandalf informs him.

"I have never used a sword in my life." Bilbo says.

"I can teach you how to. But know I am not going to be an easy teacher." Fuin tells him.

"And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one." Gandalf says to Bilbo after nodding in thanks towards Fuin for offering.

"Something's coming!" Thorin shouts suddenly, interrupting the three's conversation.

"Gandalf-" Bilbo says only to be interrupting by the one's attention he was trying to get.

"Stay together! Hurry now. Arm yourselves." Gandalf says and Fuin pulls Bilbo slightly behind him. Bilbo slowly draws his sword and looks at it. He then follows the others, who have run off into the woods following as closely behind Fuin as he can. Fuin making sure he was safely behind him the whole time.


End file.
